


Tida Vi Bare Va

by Tolyys



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Epilepsy, Gen, Human AU, Tags May Change, dennor being bros, epileptic character - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 10:55:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28955298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tolyys/pseuds/Tolyys
Summary: Matthias is a bright-eyed college student who can't wait to jump into his third year. New friends, new parties, new professors to complain about, he's pretty sure he's ready for it all, but with the excitement comes one curveball he can't possibly have prepared for: his new roommate, Lukas.-(Titled after and inspired by the song Tida Vi Bare Va by Sondre Justad)
Relationships: Denmark & Norway (Hetalia)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 16





	Tida Vi Bare Va

The dorm room is a tiny space, a square cinder block room painted the depressing off-white of I-have-to-write-this-essay-in-an-hour panic attacks, and complete with matching creaky beds and graffitied wooden desks. 

Matthias absolutely loves it. 

He drags his suitcases over the threshold, their wheels bumping off the carpet of the hallway and clacking down onto the cheap tile. “We made it, Ber!” 

His younger brother, Berwald, appears around the corner, a suitcase in each hand as well. “Hardly,” he pants. “Remind me why you wanted the third floor?” 

“If I’m gonna be getting up for a class at six in the morning, I at least want a window that lets me see sunrise.” 

“That’s gay.” 

“You’re gay.” 

“Y’knew that already.” Berwald glances around the room. “Which bed?” 

“Um…” Matthias scratches his head as he finishes taking in the room. “Roomie isn’t here yet, so I guess I get to pick. I’ll take the right one.” 

Nodding, Berwald deposits the suitcases at the end of the bed on the right. “D’you know him already?” 

“My roommate? Nah.” The matter of roommates hadn’t been up to Matthias, as it never was. The school insisted that its residential students stay with a randomly-assigned peer for at least half a semester- something about “meeting new people,” or “making friends,” or some other cheesy college pamphlet bullshit- and this year Matthias had been unsuccessful at getting into contact with his new roommate before move-in. It’s no big deal, though. He’s sure they’ll get along. “Hopefully the bed on the left suits his fancy.” 

“Mm.” Berwald nods. “Ready for another load?” 

Matthias grins at him. “Thought you didn’t like the stairs.” 

“Want to get them done for good.” 

“You’re no fun,” Matthias teases. “Yeah, I’m ready, let’s go.” 

The rest of their shared car is unloaded over the course of the next two hours. Berwald helps Matthias make his new bed, bring up his mini fridge and microwave, and even set up his fish tank on his desk and start it cycling (his goldfish of nine years, Ragnarok, will be “moving in” next week.) 

Arms and back sticky with sweat, Matthias leans back against the wall and surveys the room again. He hasn’t brought all of his belongings in yet, to make the move easier- he’ll continue to do so over the course of the next week- but for now, this is enough. It feels much closer to being his space. 

“Need anything else?” Berwald inquires from the desk, where he’s plugging in the filter for the fish tank. “Got my move-in tomorrow. I should probably pack.” 

Despite the closeness they’ve developed over the years, the brothers have elected to attend separate colleges. They had decided together that for sanity’s sake, they’d rather their mother not have reason to suggest that they room together. They’ve shared a bedroom for eighteen years; they’re ready for a break. 

“I think I’m good,” Matthias decides, pushing back off the wall. “As long as you promise to call tonight, and give Lego lots of treats.” 

“Not spoiling the cat for you.” 

Matthias pouts playfully. “But he’s gonna miss me.” 

“He’s been fine the last three years you’ve been going to college,” Berwald shrugs, earning him a teasing nudge. 

“Come on, heartless man, I’ll walk you back down to the car.” 

Upon reaching the parking lot, Matthias pulls his younger brother into a hug. “Take care of yourself at school, okay? And don’t be a stranger. You’re a big scary eighteen-year-old now, but I’m always just a phone call or text away if you need anything.” 

Berwald nods silently, his arms tightening around Matthias for a moment. “Call you tonight.” 

“You can call me in fifteen minutes if you want, I don’t even care.” 

This wins him a soft laugh. “Thanks.” 

When they finally pull back from their hug, Matthias reaches up to ruffle Berwald’s hair. Berwald has grown taller than him, his voice deeper, his confidence stronger, but he’ll always be his shy baby brother with the squeaky voice from middle school. He’ll always be Matthias’s thing to protect. 

“See you soon, yeah? Love ya.” 

Berwald smiles at him. His glasses catch the August sun, so Matthias struggles to see his eyes behind them, but he thinks he glimpses him beginning to tear up. 

Matthias stands at the edge of the sidewalk, waving, until Berwald and the car are gone from sight down the street, back toward home. Still smiling, and maybe a little misty eyed himself, Matthias allows his arm to fall back to his side. He heaves a sigh. The breeze stirs, bobbing around in his hair, and it’s another full minute before he turns around and takes himself back into the dorm. 

Footsteps of his dorm-mates echo in the stairwell, many of them slow and staggered as they drag their belongings up to their new rooms. Matthias wonders if one of them might be his new roommate. According to the email from his RA, the other boy’s name is Lukas Thomassen, and he’s a sophomore, one year behind Matthias. Having never encountered Lukas on campus before, Matthias assumes he must be a new transfer student, and that only makes him more eager to meet him. Being that he’ll probably be Lukas’s first impression of the school, he wants to make sure it’s a good one. 

Upon reaching his door, he unlocks it and nudges it open, half-hoping Lukas will have arrived in his absence, but no such luck. The room is just as he’s left it, lights off and curtains drawn open, silent aside from the soft hum of the fish tank’s filter. The bed on the left is still bare. 

Kicking off his sneakers without untying them, Matthias flops backward onto his mattress, and lets out another sigh. He crosses his arms behind his head, blinking back the remainder of the tears that had gathered in his eyes. He’s home now, or what’s to be his home for the next year. 

He stares at the ceiling movie-musical style for a long few moments, simply allowing himself to breathe, before reaching into his back pocket and pulling out his phone to send his mother a text. 

_ I’m moved in. Ber’s on his way home. love you x  _

Once the message is sent, he tosses his phone onto the bed beside him, and he tips his head to the side, looking at the door. He’s left it ajar, to allow some air in, and he hopes his roommate will be heading through it any moment now. The idea of meeting someone new makes him smile. He’s still very close with Alfred and Gilbert, the pair he shared a triple room with last year, and he’s hopeful he’ll be able to have a friendship with Lukas, too. 

Briefly, he considers getting up to reorganize his belongings so his half of the room will look presentable, but there’s not enough in the room yet to justify fussing over it. Besides, a super clean desk right at the beginning would certainly be false advertising. 

Smiling to himself, he allows his eyes to drift closed. He can’t wait for another fresh start. 

He must have dozed off, because when his awareness returns, it’s to the sound of the door closing. He sits up with a start, glancing over in alarm, to find that whoever had shut the door must have been doing so as they left the room. The sun has lowered significantly, the room colder, and Matthias shivers as he rubs his eyes and knocks his glasses askew. 

As he regains his consciousness, he abruptly realizes the implication of the closing door. The light has been turned on, and his attention snaps to the other bed, which has now been made neatly with dark blue sheets and a knit blanket tucked in at the foot. A few suitcases are stacked beside the desk. 

Hurriedly, he stands up, smooths his shirt, and runs a hand through his hair. Had Lukas seen him sleeping? God, he hoped he hadn’t been snoring. 

He grabs his phone from his own bed and glances at the time. 

_ 7:31 PM  _

“Dammit,” he mumbles, his eyes flicking back to the door again. He hopes his roommate hasn’t been in and out of the room the whole time he’s been asleep. What a horrible greeting that would be. 

At least the minimal amount of luggage seems to imply that Lukas hasn’t been here long. Curiosity getting the better of him, Matthias wanders over to the other desk. Some of his belongings are already carefully set out, including a pencil organizer, a small whiteboard, and a few thick textbooks. Matthias shuffles closer, trying to get a look at the title of the top textbook, when the sound of a key in the lock sends him stumbling backward. 

The door drifts open to reveal a young man, no more than 20 and a little shorter than Matthias, with pale ashy blond hair and a narrow build. He has at least five piercings from what Matthias can see, including his nose and eyebrow, and he’s holding a bag over his shoulder. 

This must be Lukas, Matthias realizes, taking another step back as the young man narrows his eyes at him. 

“What were you doing on my desk?” His voice is low, weary, a little guarded, and Matthias lifts his hands slightly to show his innocence. 

“Sorry! I didn’t mean to snoop around or anything. I was just looking at your textbook.” 

Lukas doesn’t respond verbally. He pushes the door closed with his shoulder and turns his attention to the bag he’s brought with him. He places it on his desk chair and begins to rummage through it, leaving Matthias in the middle of the room, grinning awkwardly. 

“So, uh…” Matthias speaks up, when he realizes Lukas isn’t going to break the silence. “You’re Lukas, right?” 

“Mhm.” Lukas doesn’t turn to face him, but he pauses in his digging to nod slightly, almost unnoticeably. “And you’re Matthias.” 

“Yep! The one and only.” 

Lukas lapses back into silence, and after a few moments, Matthias pokes at it again. “So, where you from?” 

Pausing again, Lukas glances tiredly over his shoulder. “Ah... I’m really sorry, but I don’t feel like talking right now.” 

“Oh- that’s fine!” Matthias is quick to reassure him, backing off to his own side of the room. “Just trying to ease the tension, y’know? Must be weird being in a new place. I’ll leave you alone for the night.” 

He thinks he hears a soft, “Thanks,” but he can’t be sure over the squeaking of his bed as he climbs back in. Picking up his discarded phone, he sends Berwald a quick text. 

_ roomie just got here. seems kinda quiet. hope ur doing okay! x  _

Matthias lets his eyes wander back off the screen and to Lukas, still kneeling beside the chair. He tries not to let his disappointment bubble over; after all, this is a new place, and move-ins are stressful enough. But he’d certainly let himself hope their first interaction might be a little warmer. 

A sigh drifts from his nose, and he rolls over, watching the watery patterns cast by his aquarium light onto the wall. 

There’s always tomorrow for warmth. 

**Author's Note:**

> willpower gone  
> I've had this story idea in my head since last october and I've been trying to make myself wait but I have officially snapped and cannot wait any longer LOL  
> (Also sorry if it's kinda bad it's nearly 6am and I will correct it in the actual morning if I have to) 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!! <3


End file.
